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Dec. 8, 1931. J. STROM ET AL HEEL AND SHAPE" HOLDER Filed Feb. 24, 1930 Joly/v 57 90 ans shoe will protect the same from the scuffing or wear to which womens shoes are particularly subjected in the driving of automobiles while at the same time providing an attractive looking article of foot apparel and one which requires less nails in the assembly thereof.

We are aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction varied throughout a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon'otherwise than as necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

A heel retainer. and shape holder for shoes comprising a substantiallytriangular. plate adapted to be mounted with its longest side at the point of juncture of a heel to a shoe body and covering saidjoint, said plate being 'ornamentally curved to conform to the outer contour of the rearendof the shoe andtheel,

said plate havinga plurality ofaligned openings for nails in the top edges thereof; and

another nail opening in-the lower end of the plate directly over the heel itself. t i

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.- 1" 117 JOHN S'TROM.v v HERMAN E. ANDERSON.

Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN S'IBOM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND HERMAN E. ANDERSON, F HAMMQOND, INDIANA.

HEEL AND SHAPE HOLDER Application filed February 24, 1930.

This invention relates to an improved heel and shape holder for shoes, and has for one of its 7 rincipal objects the provision of means t dr retaining the heel of a shoe in 4; proper position thereon, and also for assisting in retaining the desired shape of the shoe itself.

One of the important objects of this invention is to provide a heel and shape holder 5.0 for shoes in the form of a plate adapted to be aflixed to the rear of the shoe by means of nails or rivets, which plate may be made of various sizes and shapes, and of any color, and which may be even ornamented, if desired.

Other and further important objects of the invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the accompanying drawings and following specification.

The invention, in a preferred form, is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a rear perspective View of a 35 shoe showing the improved heel retainer and shape holder aflixed thereto.

Figure 2 is a sectional View of the device shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 2, illustrating a slight modification.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the improved heel retainifng and shape holding plate of this invention.

' As shown in the drawings:

The reference numeral indicates generally the body portion of a shoe having a heel 12 mounted thereon, the heel being preferably originally afiixed in position by means of nails or the like 14.

It quite often happens that the heel be comes loose, thereby allowing an objectionable crack or slit to appear between the top of the heel and the under portion of the shoe body. This forms an unsightly appearing article of dress, and further is unsafe, as it allows the shoe to wabble in walking, with a consequent liability of turning or spraining the wearers ankle.

In order to remedy this situation, the ap- Serial No. 430,468.

plicants have provided a plate 16 substantially triangular in form and ornamentally curved to correspond to the contour of the shoe and heel at the point of uncture. Suitable upstanding integral extensions 18 of the triangular plate 16 are provided, each of these extensions having an opening 20 therein for the passage therethrough of a nail or the like 22 which passes through the contour of the shoe and is then clinched in position. In this manner, the heel is positively and permanently afliXed in position without any possibility of its becoming loose or falling ofl, as the curvature of the plate 16 corresponding to the outercontourof the heel 12 will prevent any movement of the heel with respect to the shoe body 10 or the plate 16, this, of course, assuming that the nails 14 are in position.

In the modification shown in Figure 3. the heel 12 may be glued or similarly afiixed in position. and an additional nail or rivet 26 is provided passing through a suitable opening in the lower extremity of the plate 16 and directly into the body of the heel itself. Here again it will be obvious that relative motion of the heel with respect to the body of the shoe is positively prevented. and further a neat appearing joint is provided which can be made of considerable ornamental value.

It will be evident that the contour and dimensions of the plate 16 may be varied to cover any style or shape of shoe or any kind of heel which may be used. Further. the device may be applied to both new and old shoes with favorable results. Bv the use of this invention, the walking position is stabilized, and on account of the symmetrical shape of the plates themselves, it will be necessary for shoe manufacturers to more accurately assemble their products in that any off-centering of the parts will be imm diatelv apparent upon application of this device. Inasmuch as this center point indicates the proper line to which the center of ravity of the human body should pass when in balance. it will be obvious that such a correct positioning of the various portions of a shoe is important from a health standpoint.

The use of this plate on the rear of a wom- 

